Cassian slowly took a deep breath and drew in mana.
The energy coursed through her body, healing her wounds.
Beside her, Mira assisted with the process.
There was no need for me to interfere.
I simply observed the scene unfold.
It had already been six hours since we arrived here.
This situation was somewhat unexpected.
When we entered the city, we only intended to explore and look around.
‘How did it come to this?’
I carefully retraced the series of events.
At first, we approached the city.
As we reached the edge of the canyon, the city that came into view felt entirely different from the stalactite city we had seen before.
And at its core were the swordsmen.
[The streets were crowded with people carrying swords.]
Some had them strapped to their waists, while others carried them on their backs.
Of course, there were some mages passing by as well, but their numbers were comparatively smaller than those of the swordsmen.
It was my first time seeing so many swordsmen at once.
At the academy, no matter where I went, swordsmen were always the minority.
The vast majority were mages, after all.
But here, the opposite was true.
The sheer number of swordsmen created a strong metallic scent that was noticeable even from here.
They could be seen wielding swords and sparring throughout the city.
We took our time observing the canyon below.
Those who had descended earlier naturally blended into the city’s bustling crowds.
“Is there no official entrance to this place?”
I asked Cassian.
She nodded slightly.
“You just need to jump down. Give me a moment…”
She approached the bear-shaped golem and poked its shoulder.
The creature, which had been peering into the canyon, flinched and turned to face her.
When she extended her hand toward the golem, it tilted its head for a moment before clapping its hands and rummaging through its pockets.
What it retrieved was a piece of paper.
Cassian gently patted the golem before taking the paper.
A brief glance revealed it to be some kind of map.
“Hmm, the third level. Follow me,” Cassian said.
Hugging the golem tightly, she let herself drop.
The golem clung to her, and together they descended through the mana-filled canyon.
The third level, huh.
I glanced down at the canyon.
It consisted of eight levels in total.
Along the canyon walls were massive scars that resembled sword marks.
Here and there, gravestones and embedded swords adorned the marks like decorations.
Far below, Cassian landed on the third level.
She turned to look up at us.
“Will you carry me down like that too?”
Mira leaned against me with a soft voice.
I tried to edge away from her, but she only pressed closer.
“Hehe, I’m your doll too, you know. You should treat me kindly.”
“Mira, how could I call you a doll? You’re just temporarily bound to me.”
Mira tilted her head slightly, raising the corner of her lips.
She spoke in a soft, almost teasing tone.
“Oh? Saying that makes me feel so hurt.”
Propping her chin with her finger, she let out a quiet laugh.
Her silver eyes shimmered beautifully.
“Do you know how hard I work for you, Evron? I’m very obedient, you know.”
With that, she wrapped her arms around mine, showing no intention of letting go.
I sighed, glancing at her briefly.
‘Obedient?’ That word didn’t suit her at all.
“Fine. Let’s go down.”
I used mana to support her as I took a step into the air.
Together, we descended.
The sharp mana flowing through the canyon brushed past me as we fell.
The city below grew larger with startling speed.
We passed the upper levels in the blink of an eye, heading down to the middle ones.
The lower we descended, the denser the crowd became.
But the denser the crowd, the more rundown the facilities appeared.
***
Soon, we arrived at the third level.
I carefully landed, dissipating the mana that had surrounded Mira.
She naturally slipped out of my arms.
“Thank you. That was much more comfortable.”
“You’re welcome.”
I cast a small environmental optimization spell around us, clearing the strong metallic scent that had become prominent on the third level.
The stale air lightened, and a refreshing fragrance began to waft through.
I walked toward Cassian.
She was flipping the map back and forth, trying to figure out the route.
Watching her awkward gestures, I couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.
“Let me help you,” I offered, holding out my hand.
Cassian blinked for a moment before handing me the map.
“It’s not that I’m bad at navigating. The map is just too complicated,” she said, puffing out her cheeks slightly.
I glanced at the map.
As she said, the layout was a bit convoluted, though still readable.
Her difficulty with navigation was something I had become familiar with over the past five years of lectures.
She was always getting lost somewhere.
Even in the past week, she had frequently wandered off course.
I carefully examined the map, comparing it to the city’s structure that I had roughly memorized during our descent.
It didn’t take long to figure out the way forward.
Just as I was about to start, Mira tugged at my arm.
“Should we buy some clothes before heading to our destination?”
Mira suggested. I glanced around at our surroundings.
It was a city of swordsmen, so there weren’t many people wearing robes.
Most wore practical outfits that fit their bodies well—light armor or leather attire, often paired with a fluttering cape over their shoulders.
Mira’s eyes sparkled as she observed them.
She looked over our attire as well.
Indeed, our clothes didn’t seem to match the city’s vibe.
Although Cassian’s outfit resembled theirs, Mira clearly had no intention of leaving her be.
Gripping Cassian firmly, Mira turned to me.
She was clearly waiting for me to lead the way.
“Alright, I’ll guide us,” I said, studying the map.
It not only marked our destination but also gave a rough idea of the surrounding area.
The names of large organizations like Arcana General Store and Abyss Secret Guild—both renowned across the continent—were also indicated.
It didn’t take long to reach the general store, which was near our destination.
Since it was located in the central part of the city, the trip was quick.
Buying clothes didn’t take much time either.
As we exited the store, I glanced at my companions.
Mira was inspecting her outfit with satisfaction, smiling contentedly.
Cassian, on the other hand, had a slightly dazed expression.
Understandable, given how many times Mira had made her change clothes to find the perfect match.
Afterward, I led our group toward our destination.
It didn’t take long to arrive.
A towering building that extended beyond the third level and pierced through all eight levels came into view.
The sign read “Blade Association,” and swordsmen stood guard at the entrance, blocking the way.
Their sharp gazes swept over us.
I nodded slightly to them before turning to Cassian.
Handing her the map, I asked, “What will you do now? It seems we won’t be able to follow you from here.”
“I’ll go in with this little one. I’ll be back soon, so please wait here.”
Cassian patted the bear golem and walked toward the building.
The guards stopped her at first, but upon seeing a piece of paper she pulled out, they quickly stepped aside.
Holding the golem’s hand, she entered the building with ease.
At that point, everything seemed fine.
The problem came later.
***
While Mira and I were exploring the city, a young man approached us.
His cold demeanor was accentuated by his sharp eyes, which gave him an even more intimidating presence.
“Excuse me, are you part of Cassian’s group?”
I glanced around.
It wasn’t just him; a number of others were beginning to surround us.
Their mana was formidable, far beyond anything I could handle.
“Yes, is there an issue?” I asked cautiously.
“Cassian is looking for her companions. We’ve been sent to escort you. Please follow us.”
I looked down at Mira.
Clinging to my arm, she simply smiled softly, showing no intention of intervening.
I had no choice but to nod.
And so, we followed them, which led us to the current situation.
Cassian slowly rose to her feet, assisted by the bear golem.
Though she groaned slightly, Mira continued to infuse her with mist, easing her discomfort.
“What happened to you?” I asked.
Cassian’s expression was more somber than I had ever seen before.
“They said they were disappointed in me, that I hadn’t lived up to their expectations. They claimed they would control me from now on and demanded that I follow the plans they had set for me in this city.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.